“In the beginning was the dream. Through the dream all things were made, and without the dream nothing was made that has been made.”

~Thomas Berry, The Dream of the Earth: Our Way into the Future

Early peoples the world over held sacred the meanings and messages delivered in their dreams, visions of the night. In many, maybe most, early cultures the days began with hearing the dreams of the community. This would guide their days; tell them when to hunt, when danger was nigh, when to plant, how to understand meanings of the world and of cosmic origins. Every scripture and myth, in all the world’s cultures, tell stories of the importance of dreams in guiding the people. The voice of God and Goddess, however Spirit is named or conceived, was known to speak directly to us through dreams.

Dreams are a universal language. Everyone dreams. Animals dream. Ancestors and angels speak in dreams. The web of life tells its story in dreams. Dreams are critically important in the psychic life of individuals and the community. Yet somewhere along the way we lost track of this divine gift. As we increasingly developed empiricism and rational thinking, marginalizing other ways of knowing, we forgot the dream language. We lost our guides, and have clearly lost our way.

The story humans in general are living now of progress, conquest, consumerism, war, money, profit motives and power became the currency of human life, the reality tacitly taken to be necessary and true. When we stopped dreaming with the Earth we began to destroy our common home, our common Mother who alone can nurture and feed us. Objectifying her we rape and abuse her without realizing or caring.

It is time to listen again to our common dreams, time to shed an old story that is causing mass extinctions of countless species on our planet, which may before too long include our own. The New Story can be heard in our dreams. Guidance for how to live and support it will come if we listen. A new mythology is waiting to be born, and we must do whatever we can to be birthers and carriers for it.

Let us join the earlier cultures who regularly listened to the dreams of the community, and the cultures who still do this today.

Jocelyn Mercado and I have created a monthly forum for doing this. We will listen to dreams you feel you can share with us, especially those that you sense might have a collective image or significance, you decide. Tayria and Jocelyn will comment briefly on some; Jocelyn will call on those who raise their hands in the forum and together we will all weave the emerging story. If you don’t have dreams to share, come to hear and remember. Let us listen together and see what arises.

Here is what one participant in a recently Symposium wrote afterward:

I just listened to the recent Dream Symposium and had to write. Although, I participated days after…I feel as if I was right with you all (as I know I am now). I feel such warmth and love and belonging in this group. My heart just smiles and glows as I listen and see the gentle love on everyone’s faces and in their voices.

I am filled with optimism and hope and really part of a tribe. I always am affirmed and reminded of what is truly of value in life and feel the golden web enfold me…

Many blessings on both you and Tayria and all those who participate. Such lovely, sweet, gentle souls, all.

Love,

Laura Carey

Norwich, NY

Please fill out the form below to sign up:

To see the first Symposium from February 23, 2017, including a short introduction to the concept, click here.

To view all subsequent Symposiums go to THE DREAM VILLAGE websiteOn this site you can not only find links to each of the fascinating sessions, but also you will be able to join the conversation, share your dreams, hear and comment on those of others in this village of dream explorers. We would love to see you there.

I have inserted the first few links here, the rest are on the Dream Village page
March 24, 2017
Video format: Click hereAudio only: Click here